AFL Lions vs Suns Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for Semi-Finals, 2025
Last updated: Sep 11, 2025, 9:32AM | Published: Sep 10, 2025, 9:32AM
Draftstars Australia's AFL Lions vs Suns Semi-Finals, 2025 DFS contest starts at 7:35pm AEST on September 13, 2025, and Fantasy Insider has crunched the numbers for each player in the game to help you build winning line-ups.
A reliable Draftstars cheat sheet is essential for AFL fantasy players. This DFS preview is designed to help you assemble your fantasy teams for Draftstars' AFL contests.
Fantasy Insider, renowned for its world-class DFS tools and projections since 2015, employs the same machine learning models as Stats Insider to produce some of the most accurate DFS projections available.
With the latest AFL fantasy insights and DFS strategies from Fantasy Insider, you're set to win in more AFL fantasy contests.
Cheat Sheet and Projections
We've reviewed players from each team in the Brisbane Lions vs Gold Coast SUNS match-up to help you make the best selections on Saturday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Josh Dunkley (BL, MID) | $17,560 | 112.7 | 6.4 |
| Value | Ethan Read (GC, RK/FWD) | $6,000 | 52.1 | 8.7 |
| Fade | Noah Anderson (GC, MID) | $15,480 | 93.9 | 6.1 |
| Cheapie | Sam Collins (GC, DEF) | $6,240 | 51.6 | 8.3 |
According to Fantasy Insider's DFS model, our "stud" is the highest projected scorer across the slate, while "value" picks offer the most "bang for your buck," meaning they're expected to perform well relative to their salary.
Conversely, a "fade" is a player considered to offer lower value for money, based on their expected score relative to their salary. For budget-conscious strategies, "cheapie" options highlight the best value players at lower price points not already mentioned.
In fantasy sports, understanding value—assessing a player's potential output against their salary—is crucial, as players scoring high relative to their cost are key in crafting the optimal line-up.
The "Pts/$1K" metric shows the predicted points for every $1,000 of a player's salary. A higher number indicates better value, making it easier to spot players who could outperform their cost.
Positional Breakdown
DEF (Defender)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Dayne Zorko (BL) | $15,330 | 95.2 | 6.2 |
| Value | Sam Collins (GC) | $6,240 | 51.6 | 8.3 |
| Fade | John Noble (GC) | $13,450 | 82.8 | 6.2 |
| Cheapie | Darcy Gardiner (BL) | $6,000 | 46.5 | 7.7 |
MID (Midfielder)
| Selection | Salary | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Josh Dunkley (BL) | $17,560 | 112.7 | 6.4 |
| Value | Bruce Reville (BL) | $6,690 | 53.4 | 8 |
| Fade | Noah Anderson (GC) | $15,480 | 93.9 | 6.1 |
| Cheapie | David Swallow (GC) | $6,000 | 47.4 | 7.9 |
FWD (Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Zac Bailey (BL) | $13,180 | 84.6 | 6.4 |
| Value | Ethan Read (GC) | $6,000 | 52.1 | 8.7 |
| Fade | Bailey Humphrey (GC) | $10,380 | 64.7 | 6.2 |
| Cheapie | Ty Gallop (BL) | $6,000 | 47.9 | 8 |
RK (Ruckman)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Jarrod Witts (GC) | $14,290 | 94.3 | 6.6 |
| Value | Ethan Read (GC) | $6,000 | 52.1 | 8.7 |
Conclusion
In DFS, creating an optimal line-up requires understanding key concepts and metrics. When building your AFL Lions vs Suns Semi-Finals, 2025 teams, consider starting with a value player like Ethan Read. To secure one of the highest projected scorers, Josh Dunkley is a strong option. If you're seeking budget-friendly choices to free up salary cap for more studs, explore our cheapie options, including Sam Collins.
On the other hand, according to our model, Noah Anderson is one of the lowest value options on the slate, suggesting you might want to limit exposure to him if putting together multiple line-ups.
Ready to go? Draftstars' AFL Lions vs Suns slate closes at 7:35pm AEST on Saturday. ENTER NOW!
As with all AFL DFS contests, whether you start with our studs or build around our value picks, leveraging Fantasy Insider's data-driven AFL fantasy news and strategies, combined with your own research, can enhance your chances of winning in the AFL Lions vs Suns Semi-Finals contest. The unique insights here can give you an edge when you make your AFL DFS line-ups.
For the latest projections and optimised AFL Lions vs Suns line-ups, check out the Fantasy Insider Cruncher on Draftstars! It's free to use when you're logged in.
Please note that if you use our DFS tips for betting purposes, ensure you gamble responsibly and keep track of your money. For free and confidential support, call 1800 858 858 or visit gamblinghelponline.org.au.
